CRUISE NEWS
Round-the-world itineraries are the hottest selling cruises today. Teresa Ooi discovers why these voyages are booking out so quickly.
T
his is one of the most surprising trends of the post-pandemic travel booking bonanza: far from shunning long trips, cashed-up cruisers can’t get enough of world voyages. And the longer the better. For many wealthy retirees, cruising the world on a luxury liner for more than 100 nights with everything taken care of – from food and wine to entertainment and shore excursions – is the ultimate holiday of a lifetime. Perhaps it’s the convenience of not having to negotiate multiple airports; perhaps it is ticking off multiple bucketlist places in one trip; or perhaps there is an element of “revenge spending” after a year of being cooped up by COVID. Booking early for a world cruise often comes with extra bonuses thrown in – think onboard credit, included flights, discounts and first choice of cabins – but you need to be quick. It looks like months of isolation have sparked a renewed interest in world cruises departing as far out as 2023. When cruise itineraries were cancelled because of the pandemic, many lines gave future cruise credits (FCC) instead of refunds, and it wasn’t long before avid cruisers began using their credits to book world cruises. 10
TAKE THE LONG WAY ROUND Viking Cruises has already sold out its 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 world cruises – a record for the premium line. “Longer itineraries are resonating most with Australian consumers who are wanting to make up for lost time,” says Michelle Black, Viking’s managing director ANZ. Luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 2023 world itinerary has also sold out because of “pent-up demand for future travel among Australians and Kiwis for the line’s Grand Voyages, including Oceania’s extended journeys spanning many weeks and across multiple continents,” says an RSSC spokesperson. The joys of cruising all the way around the globe while enjoying lavish dinners, gala balls and bucket-list destinations has never been more attractive – even if it’s all conducted in post-pandemic socially distanced decorum. Here’s a look at what’s on offer:
/ REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES The 143-night world cruise in 2023 will explore South America, the South Pacific Islands, Australia, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa and Spain, calling at 72 ports over six continents. Guests can also look forward to 356 free shore excursions including 48 UNESCO
World Heritage Sites, and a transit of the Panama Canal. The five-month world cruise aboard Regent Seven Seas Mariner departs Miami on 7 January 2023 and ends in Barcelona on 30 May 2023, a voyage of more than 38,000 nautical miles. Prices range from $77,999 to $208,999 pp, which includes first-class air fare, door-to-door luggage service, unlimited valet laundry, dry-cleaning and pressing, unlimited internet access and premium beverages. The cruise is already sold out, but you can join a waitlist.
cruisepassenger.com.au
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